Save a life! American Red Cross Adult & Child Basic First Aid/CPR/AED Certification workshops
On Saturday, March 16, 2024, Chelsea Chytka of Benton County Sheriff’s Office and MariAnn McKenzie of Oregon Marine Safety Board (OMSB) led WaterStrong volunteers Bea, Nana, Naomi, Randy, Dan, Lisa, Shelby, and Gaby through a blended learning delivery of the American Red Cross Adult & Child basic first aid/CPR/AED certification training and OMSB lifejacket fitting training. The ARC blended learning program allows students to complete half the class online and half the class in person. On completion, participants received a CPR valve mask, a Red Cross certificate valid for 2 years, and a lifejacket.
Participants learned how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants, as well as how to operate an automated external defibrillator (AED) in case of cardiac emergencies. Participants also learned practical skills for managing various medical emergencies, including assessing injuries, controlling bleeding, treating burns, and responding to sudden illnesses. The training emphasized hands-on practice, allowing attendees to apply CPR, AED, and first aid skills in simulated scenarios, ensuring confidence and competence in emergency situations.
The event fostered a sense of community as participants from diverse backgrounds came together to learn life-saving skills, empowering them to make a difference in their neighborhoods. Offering the training free of charge removed financial barriers and made essential life-saving education accessible to individuals who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to receive such training.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the opportunity to acquire vital skills that could potentially save lives. Building on the success of this training session, WaterStrong plans to organize additional CPR/AED/First Aid courses during the month of June.
WaterStrong is hosting 6 more First Aid / CPR / AED certification workshops in June at East Portland Community Center. These trainings are BLENDED LEARNING (half online / half in person) and are FREE to participants thanks to a generous Community Enhancement Grant from Elevate Oregon.
Workshops are open to everyone age 12 and up. Class size is limited to 12 and a few seats in each class will be reserved for anyone in the WaterStrong network.
Please sign up here by no later than May 25th: https://www.waterstrong.org/register
All workshops are FREE (donations are welcome) and delivered at East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106th Ave. Portland OR 97216, from 12p-4p. Please sign up by May 25th to reserve a spot!
Saturday 6/1/24, 12-4p
Sunday 6/2/24, 12-4p
Saturday 6/8/24, 12-4p
Sunday 6/9/24, 12-4p
Saturday 6/15/24, 12-4p
Sunday 6/16/24, 12-4p
